The only thing better than garlic knots and homemade soft pretzels are these Garlic Pretzel Knots, except when they're dunked in a warm, creamy cheese sauce. Not to mention they're incredibly simple to make!
Ok, friends. This garlic pretzel knot recipe is a winner. Just imagine a delicious warm pretzel knot stuffed with fresh gouda, topped with garlic salt then dunked in a warm, creamy cheese sauce. I mean, right? And you might not believe me… but these pretzels are super simple to make and are pretty fool-proof! I've made them so many times and they turn out delicious every time.
Besides, this dough is incredibly versatile. I've used it to make pretzel hot dog buns, large soft pretzels, and now these mini pretzel knots! Basically, you need these in your life.
Pretzel knots make a fantastic appetizer and are always a hit when we serve them for parties. We'll also serve them for dinner with a salad (usually this summer pasta salad if it's hot out or a chopped thai salad for something different).
How to Make Garlic Pretzel Knots
The recipe card has instructions but I wanted to expand a bit in case you have any questions. Of course, you can always leave a comment and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!
- To make the dough, just combine sugar, water, butter, and yeast in a bowl. Mix together, then let stand for about 5 minutes (the mixture should start bubbling).
- Next, add flour and salt and mix together first with a spatula then, as the mixture starts coming together, knead with your hands until it forms a ball. Add the dough to a well-oiled large-sized bowl and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and let sit in a warm/dry place until the dough doubles in size (should take about an hour).
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Remove the risen dough from the bowl and divide in half, then in half again. Each resulting portion should be divided again into 4 (I did this by rolling the quartered dough into a long strip, then cutting it into four sections).
- To stuff with cheese, simply make a shallow incision along the middle and spread the dough with your fingers. Take some freshly grated gouda (about 1 teaspoon) and place it in the center. Then using your fingers, simply pinch the sides together to seal. Then, take each strip and tie it into a messy knot.
- Once dough is split into 16 equal strips you'll want to tie them into knots. Tying pretzel knots is similar to the first step in tying your shoes. To tie the pretzel dough strips into knots make an over and under loose knot, then connect the two ends and then tuck under the pretzel dough. Another way to describe this is to take the ends of a pretzel strip and criss cross them and then thread one end through the center of the hole. Pinch the two ends and then tuck under the pretzel dough.
- Add the baking soda to the boiling water (it might look a bit scary at this point, that's OK it's supposed to get super bubbly) and submerge the knots (two at a time) for about 30 seconds on one side, then 30 seconds on the other. Remove from the water and set on a plate covered in paper towels (this will help absorb the excess water). Coat with egg wash, garlic salt, and a sprinkle of sea salt and place on the top rack in the oven for about 15 minutes (or until they reach a deep golden brown).
Pretzel Knot Dipping Sauces
Now for my favorite part: the gouda and cheddar cheese dipping sauce!
- Just add the heavy cream, salt, flour and whisk vigorously over a medium-high heat until it thickens slightly (about 2 minutes).
- Remove from heat and add about 1 cup grated Gouda and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and mix together until the cheese melts. Serve immediately!
Here are a few more ideas if you'd prefer a different dipping sauce:
- Garlic butter: Melted butter + fresh garlic + parsley (optional)
- Herbed olive oil: Olive oil + garlic + Italian herbs + chili flakes
- Spicy brown mustard: classic! Sometimes we'll tone it down a bit with a little mayo
- Buffalo sauce: Especially good if you're serving these as game-day food.
- Chipotle aioli: Chipotle pepper (from a can) + mayo + one mince garlic clove
- Honey Mustard
- Ranch Dressing
Pretzel Knot Tips
- Knead the dough until it's smooth and make sure to give the dough time to double in size.
- The egg wash step is important for a classic golden brown crust.
- Keep the ropes even if possible
- Tie the ropes loosely so they stay soft while baking
- Don't skip the baking soda bath!
Related Recipes
Garlic Pretzel Knots with Cheese Dipping Sauce
Yield:
16 pretzel knots
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Garlic Pretzel Knots are a tasty combination of homemade pretzels and garlic knots dunked in a warm, creamy cheese sauce. Not to mention they’re incredibly simple to make!
Ingredients
Pretzel Knots
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (1.25 oz packet)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, completely melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 ½ all-purpose flour (bread flour works too)
- 1 teaspoon grated gouda
- ⅔ cups baking soda
- 1 egg white, beaten with water, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- Dash of sea salt, for each knot
Cheese Sauce
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 4 teaspoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup freshly grated gouda
- 1 cup freshly grated cheddar
Instructions
Pretzel Knots
- In a bowl, add water, yeast, brown sugar and melted butter. Mix together then let sit for about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the salt and flour to the mixture and mix together with a spatula until it begins to come together.
- Then, using your hands, knead together until it forms a ball.
- Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean, damp towel and place in a warm/dry place for about 1 hour (I like to use the oven for this).
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove and knead on a lightly flour surface.
- Divide in half, then in half again (so you should have four balls of dough at this point).
- Divide each resulting ball into fourths to get to 16 balls (or, just roll each ball into a long log shape and cut into fourths)
- Once divided, roll into a log shape and cut a shallow incision into the middle of each strip of dough,
- Add about 1 teaspoon of grated gouda then, using your fingers, seal the incision.
- Tie each strips into a messy knot and tuck any ends underneath, then set on a baking sheet.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the baking soda.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the pretzel knots (two at a time) into the boiling water and let sit for about 30 seconds on each side.
- Remove from the water and onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush with the egg wash, and top with garlic salt and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Bake on the top rack of the oven for about 15 minutes or until they reach a deep golden brown.
Cheese Sauce
- In a large sauce pan, add the heavy cream, flour, and salt.
- Whisk vigorously for about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and add the grated cheeses and stir until fully incorporated.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 328Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 3107mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 9g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
Aubrey Cornelius, also known as the The Blonde Chef, is a food-loving, photo-taking kinda girl and her passion is creating delicious recipes for friends and family to share. As a member of a large family herself and now responsible for cooking for her own family, she understands how important it is to have fresh, healthy food on the table.
She is also a professional food photographer who specializes in editorial, portrait food photography and styling.
She is also a professional food photographer who specializes in editorial, portrait food photography and styling.
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